What would happen if this happened today. (School Uniform issue)

[Netcurtainnelly]

I watched the very first episode of Grange Hill the other day from 1978.
Some will remember, some won't but basically Benny Green arrives at school for the first day in his own clothes. He said his family can't afford a school uniform or a sports kit, for him to play in the football team.
He spent alot of time at school in non uniform.

Just wondered, can't imagine that happening today, but what would happen if a child arrived at school in their own clothes, saying their parent/s couldn't afford the uniform?
Interesting???

I've often wondered similar with some of those state schools with very expensive uniform especially for families that don't put the school down as one of their choices but get it allocated. Could you refuse to pay for the uniform if it's a school that you didn't choose.

Pretty sure schools would have a hardship fund but parents would have to let them know in advance of the new school year. The new rules are coming in to limit the number of branded uniform items schools can ask parents to buy, thank goodness.

I'd say it depends very much on the school.
Luckily there are still some schools that are not obsessed by children having the 'correct' shoes, shirts and ties.

Our school have a whole cupboard of lost and donated school uniform. I reckon any size child could be kitted out for free from that.

Not heard of a hardship fund for uniform and sports kit.
Heard of second hand uniform sales though.

Before starting at secondary school (this year) we received loads of notifications about hardship funds, help the school could offer, a free uniform bank being run by the council and uniform swaps the school were facilitating. So hopefully this wouldn’t happen, but if it did I feel confident that the school would help themselves get kitted out quick smart and resolve the issue.

Pe kit if you have a note with a reason gets supplied from lost property. If no note then it's a 30 min detention for first time, 1 hour for second and 1.5 hours for third and subsequent. Kit also gets given from lost property if no note.

Uniform would result in isolation for first period allowing a parent to be contacted. School has spare uniform for circumstances such as this and this would be provided - they run a secondhand swap shop and they would get it from there. Further instances once uniform has been provided result in detention as above.

If uniform is just forgotten or incorrect then it's isolation until corrected plus 30 mins detention after school for every lesson missed to catch up.

Yes exactly that at our school. We had this situation when a boy arrived from Ukraine into DS class about 2 years ago when they were about 14, by the end of the day he had been fully kitted out in school uniform, they also gave him lost property PE kit, school bag and winter coat.

My DD's school had 'pupil premium' which was awarded at different levels according to need, to buy uniform, stationery, etc.
What I received covered a couple of pairs of shoes a year which helped, and they paid half when she needed a laptop for 6th form.

They wouldn't know that until they turned up for the first day.
Just wondered if anyone would ever turn up today, saying family couldn't afford school uniform and PE kit?

In Scotland for those that meet the criteria get £120 primary and £150 high school bursary help towards uniform costs.

Scotland invest in their children, England is below par in this aspect.

At my DDs school they would be given school uniform from the second hand shop. All parents are encouraged to use it as a swap shop or to buy stuff.

Secondary - we have a hardship fund at my school for uniform as well as second hand uniform. We have had children turn up without uniform on the first day and kit them out with what we have so they can enjoy their first day without feeling they stand out for not having it.

What circumstance would occur that the first time contact was made with the school was the first day the child went to class?

For reception entries there are multiple sessions pre term. For mid term transfers you'd have at the very least have to have spoken to the school surely?!

The school I'm at always has donated uniform and coats available.
We have a rail where parents can help themselves and every so often we invite parents in to pick up anything they may need. Everything is free.

Our local church provide a full set of new uniform for new children into village infants, including PE and forest school kit for anyone who applies for it, no questions asked. The only thing which isn't supplied is school shoes and wellies, but the school has loads of wellies can loan out.

When I was at school in the 1990s there were three or four refugees from Bosnia at my school who had no uniforms when they started attending, but by their second week they'd been sorted with full uniforms and PE kit etc, partly from the school's stock of second-hand stuff, and partly by other girls who went home and dug out items they no longer wore that might fit them.

There's a charity near me who would kit the child out for free. Or give vouchers for discount. Or school would provide some second hand.

There are charity bins at all the local shops near me to put second hand uniform in which is then given to those who need it.

Secondary school I work at has a second hand shop. Think most schools do these days and arrangements would be made for the child to get uniform.

We have a lot of asylum seekers and regularly get emails saying their child doesn't have shoes. So the school will provide them.

It's great that the school does this, however it's another thing coming off of schools already very tight budgets!

As said, this was from 1978.
I guess they were just trying to show pupils from different backgrounds and they highlighted this.
Not sure what was around in 78?